Quantum distance bounding

Abstract

We present a distance bounding (DB) protocol that employs quantumbits (qubits) in the implementation of the rapid-bit exchange (a.k.a., challenge-response) phase, instead of classical bits. This is not the first attempt at using qubits in a DB protocol, as Abidin et al. proposed a way to implement DB protocols using qubits in RFIDSec 2016 [1]. We improve upon Abidin et al.'s protocol and make it resistant to photon number splitting attacks. In addition, our new protocol eliminates the need for communication from the prover to the verifier in the last authentication phase, which is necessary in the protocol by Abidin et al.